Anhydrous textile finishes



nited States Patent Viscose Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application December 6, 1955 Serial No. 551,206

16 Claims. (Cl. 252-=-8.8)

This invention relates to compositions which are suitable for softening and lubricating fibers (the term fibers being used herein as generic continuous filaments and fibers of staple length) formed from cellulose derivatives, and particularly to oil-type textile finishes which are noncorrosive with respect to machinery on which various textile operations are performed.

The textile finishing composition should be noncorrosive to all metal surfaces over wide ranges of humidity and temperature. For example, textile finishes which include fatty amines or fatty ammonium quaternary compounds tend to be corrosive to metal. It is also necessary that the ingredient included in such a composition for inhibiting corrosion .be compatible with the other ingredients thereof with respect to the various desired functions and features of the composition or finish as a Whole. That is to say, the addition of the corrosion inhibitor should not materially impair the afiinity of the composition for the textile, its chemical stability during storage after application to the textile, its lack of irritation of the human skin, lubricity of textiles, its nonabrasiveness, freedom from infla'mmability, and other properties of a satisfactory textile finish. Conformance to such requirements substantially limits the selection of new ingredients for finish compositions to materials that are not readily recognizable as useful for inhibiting corrosion, particularly with respect to the oil-type compositions applied as finishes to cellulose acetate fibers.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a new class of textile finishing solutions which are noncorrosive, and particularly noncorrosive oil-type finishes which are adapted for application to fibers comprising a cellulose derivative such as cellulose acetate. A further object is to incorporate in any of such textile finishes, a corrosion inhibiting ingredient which does not injuriously affect the operation of the finish in respect to the accomplisment of its various functions. Other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the invention.

In brief, noncorrosive liquid textile finishes are produced in accordance with the present invention by incorporating into the liquid vehicle of such a finish, an ethylene oxide adduct of a fatty alkyl-alkylene diamine having the general formula R-N-(CHz),--N(CHz-CH2O),=H

(CHPCHPQ)=H(CHT-CHT*O):H wherein R is a radical selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical containing from 8 to 18 carbon atoms and mixtures of the same, x can be from 1 to 3, and y is from 2 to 4.

For the sake of brevity, compounds in accordance with the above formula are referred to as diamine derivatives. This term, as used herein, is to be applied only to such compounds.

In a preferred embodiment, a textile finish which is especially suited for treating cellulose ester fibers of coniinuous or staple lengths, or strands thereof, comprises a mineral oil base with the various ingredients dispersed therein. The term dispersed is used generically herein with respect to materials dissolved as well as colloidally suspended within the oil vehicle.

Preferred diamine derivatives produced in accordance with the general formula written above, comprise as the fatty component thereof, palmityl, myristyl, cetyl, lauryl, o-leyl, and stearyl radicals such as derived from fatty materials found in 'tallow, coconut oil, whale oil, cottonseed oil, etc.' The fatty ethylene oxide adduct of the alkylene diamine included as a textile finish ingredient may actually be derived from a mixture of fatty materials and thus may comprise a mixture of fatty alkyl oxyethylene adducts of diamines. For example, commercially available diamine derivatives of-this typev are manufactured from naturally occurring mixtures of fatty materials such as coconut oil and tallow which are raw materials for Ethoduomeen (3/13 and Ethoduomeen T/l3, respectively, manufactured by Armour and Company. The fatty radicals named above produce diamine derivatives of the type which have good solubility in mineral oil and provide excellent softening of cellulose ester fibers, and in an approximate manner define the length of carbon-to-carbon chains desired in the fatty component of the diamine derivative. Other fatty radicals included are tridecylic, pentadecylic and margaric.

Varying the carbon chain length from 2 to 4 of the alkylene group Within the diamine component of the fatty alkyl ethylene oxide adduct thereof, results in compounds which all effectively function as fiber softeners, prevent corrosion to textile equipment, and have good solubility in mineral oil. That is to say, ethylene, propylene, or butylene diamines may be used in forming such adducts.

"lhe alkylene diamine derivatives employed in the present invention are particularly advantageous as textile finish ingredients since one of such derivatives may serve simultaneously in various degrees in the several functions for which a finish composition may be designed. The outstanding feature of these compounds is perhaps their the metal parts over which textile materials pass in the machines of the type which develop fibers and filaments into strands and fabrics. For example, the ethylene oxide adducts of fatty alkylpropylene diamine are advantageously included in finish compositions which comprise fatty amines or fatty quaternary nitrogen compounds. Moreover, the corrosion-inhibiting diamine derivatives disclosed herein are effective in the pH range of from 4 to 7, a range in which most of the known inhibitors fail. The diamine derivatives of this invention are compatible with common textile finish systems. No deleterious effects in the fibers, or manufacturing environment and equipment has been traced to them as a result of their use essentially as corrosion inhibitors in textile finishes. Such adducts are used in concentrations of within the range of about 0.5 to 2.5 percent based on the total weight of the finish composition.

Furthermore, the diamine derivatives are found to be effective as antistatic ingredients.

a mineral oil of low viscosity. this type is'noncorrosive, antistatic, provides good fiber softening, and is excellent as a lubricant.

A further'fun'ction of the'diatnine derivatives within a textie finish composition is their capacity'ascoupling agents, i. e., as a medium which will function as a mutual solvent, for the mineral oil base or vehicle and a material that is usually insoluble in thatmedium. As the most effective antistatic agents available are'normally watersoluble oil-insoluble compounds; a'coupling agent'is useful for the purpose of rendering many of the superior antistatic agents dispersible within oil-type textile finishes. Hence, the diamine derivatives disclosed herein, when used in concentrations up to 20 percent, are excellent emulsifying agents for completely" dispersing antistatic materials which are normally used in substantially less concentration. For example, the diamine derivatives may be used-to emulsify and disperse such antistatic agents as'hydroxyethyloleyl ethyl glyoxalidi'nium ethosulfate," soyaethyl morpholinium ethosulfate, soya methyl morpholinium methosulfate, cetyl ethyl morpholinium ethosulfate, cetyl methyl morpholinium'methosulfate, dodecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, and stea'ryl diethyl methyl ammonium ethosulfate.

A feature desired in'textile finishes isthat it be readily removed from thetextile material, e. g., in preparation for dyeing or sale. In general, the stripping of the finish materials from the'textile is most economically accorn plished with aqueous medium, and without having'to result to'unusual textile practices; The diamine derivatives used as mineral oil solutions in this invention have a degree of surface activity which'is sufficient to give varying degrees of self-emulsificationof-thesolutions. The in'clusionin a textile finish of a diamine derivative of which the fatty acid portion is derived from coconut oil results in a composition that is completely emulsifiable in water in respect to the composition and the quantity thereof as found in a textile treated therewith in the normal manner. Although such a diamine derivative just named is cationic, it is not incompatible with weakly anionic compounds that may be included in the finish compositions.

The above described diamine derivatives are useful also as cellulose ester fiber softeners. Because of its nature, cellulose acetate fiber, for example, must be given a treatment or dressing whichmakes it more amenable to textile operations. Onerequirement which the fiber must meet is that of" softness, a term designating a property of the fiber which results in low fiber-to-fiber friction. The diamine derivatives are good to excellent softeners depending on the size ofthe fatty radical.

However, when included in a textile finish composition as a softener, the diamine derivatives must be provided in greater concentration than the minimum necessary to accomplish corrosion resistance. A satisfactory range of concentration for this purpose is total weight of the composition.

The following examples must serve to illustrate various embodiments of the invention:

Example 1 Thirteen parts of glycerol trioleate, 2 parts of soya ethyl morpholinium ethosulfate, 2 parts. of Ethoduomeen T/l3 and 68 parts of Textiline 85 (a highly refined low viscosity mineral oil) were mixed together to form a solution. This solution was applied to a continuously mov' ing acetate yarn in an amount about 3 percent of the weight of the yarn by a conventional roll applicator cover which the yarn passed. Parts of textile machinery in which the yarn was subsequently processed showed no tendency to corrode during two weeksof continuous service in contact with yarn treated with the finish composition of this example. The treated yarn exhibited good softness and hand, was nonelectrostatic, and was amply lubricated for passage through machinery. It processed satisfactorily with coning, twisting and knitting machinery.

to percent of the 4 Example 2 A 25 percent solution of an ethylene oxide adduct of coconut oil-propylene diamine (Ethoduomeen C/ 13) in white mineral oil (Textiline was prepared and applied continuously to acetate yarn by means of a roll applicator as it issued in an amount about 3 percent of the weight of the yarn in the form of continuous filaments from a conventional cellulose acetate dry spinner. The yarn was coned, and then cones thereof were subsequently fed into a loom and formed into fabric. The yarn carrying finish solution had excellent softness and lubricity with respect to the machinery. The yarn and the resulting fabric were tested at various. points within the loom by an electrostatic voltmeter and found to have neglible electrical chargethereon. The finish composition was readily stripped from either the yarn or the fabric with plain water.

Ekampleiit A yarn finish composition or celluloseacetateyarn was preparedby mixing 2 parts of cetyl'ethyl morpholiniurn ethosulfate. (antistatic agent), 12 parts Ethoduomeen T/ 13 (an-ethylene oxide adduct of fatty alkyl propylene diamine), and 86 parts of white mineral oil. This ethosulfate. is normally insoluble in the mineral oil. The ingredient, Ethoduomeen, functions as a coupler orv agent for dispersing the antistatic agent within the oil. The resulting solution was applied as described in previous examples to a running acetate yarn. After, two monthsof continuous processing of yarn treatedwith this finish.solution, machinery handling such yarn was found to be freefrom corrosion. Tests made by astatic voltmeter indicated at all timesneglible static electrical charges onthe. yarn as it passed throughthe machinery. The yarn was characterizedv by extremely low fiber-tofiber friction as indicated to the hand by a high degree of softness." The finish. solution carried by. the yarn or fabric made therefrom was readily self-emulsifiable and could be removed readily by water without the aid of detergents, soaps, etc.

Example' 4 cellulose acetate yarn prior to packaging in. the usual,

manner. The yarn and fabric. formed therefrom was found to be'readily stripped of the finish solution by plain waterdue-to-the self-emulsifiability of the finish composition. The yarn'and fabric carrying this finish composition was also found to have freedom from static electrical charges and to produce no corroslve effect on machinery. Example 5 A solution adapted for finishing cellulose acetate yarn was prepared by mixing together 2 parts of dodecyl trimethyl ammonium chlorid 2 parts of Ethoduomeen C/ 13, 12 parts of glycerol trioleate, and 84 parts of mineral oil. This solution was applied by a roll applicator to continuously running acetate yarn and passed into a twisting and coning machine. The yarn had excellent softness and was nonstatic during passage over the machine. No indication of corrosion of machinery parts was observed as a result of handling the yarn.

The above examples demonstrate the utility of an ethylene oxide adduct of a fatty alkyl propylene diamine for suppressing corrosiveness which would otherwise result from other ingredients normally included in oil base textile finishes. Some of these adducts function effectively in other respects. For example, the product characterized by fatty alkyl' radicals derived from tallow (Ethoduomeen T/13) functions also as a softener for cellulose acetate fiber with good antistatic properties, and renders the finish composition as a whole self-emulsifiable. Other fatty acid adducts in which the fatty chain is shorter than the tallow fatty acids. function equally effective as corrosion inhibitors and somewhat less effective as fiber softeners, but provide good self-emulsification of the finish solution in which they are incorporated. All of such adducts appear to suppress the accumulation of static charges on cellulose acetate fibrous material.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A substantially anhydrous noncorrosive mineral oil base finish composition for lubricating cellulose acetate textile fibers containing at least 0.5 percent of an ethylene oxide adduct of a hydrocarbon alkylene diamine of which the alkylene component has a carbon chain length of from 2 to 4, said hydrocarbon radical being selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having 8 to 18 carbon atoms and mixtures of the same, said hydrocarbon radical being attached to one of the nitrogen atoms, and oxyethylene radicals are attached to each nitrogen atom, each of said oxyethylene radicals comprising at least one oxyethylene group.

2. A substantially anhydrous noncorrosive mineral oil base finish composition for lubricating cellulose acetate textile fibers containing from about 0.5 to about 25 percent by weight of a substance having the general formula wherein R is a hydrocarbon radical selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical of from 8 to 18 carbon atoms and mixtures of the same, x is from 1 to 3, and y is from 2 to 4.

3. A mineral oil base composition of claim 2 in which is present a normally oil-insoluble antistatic material comprising an organic quaternary ammonium compound in an amount sufficient to impart anti-static properties to said composition.

4. The composition of claim 3 wherein the antistatic material is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethyloleyl ethyl glyoxalidinium ethosulfate, soya ethyl morpholinium ethosulfate, soya methyl morpholinium methosulfate, cetyl ethyl morpholinium ethosulfate, cetyl methyl morpholinium methosulfate, dodecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, and stearyl diethyl methyl ethosulfate.

5. A substantially anhydrous noncorrosive mineral oil base composition for lubricating cellulose acetate textile fibers containing a normally oil-insoluble antistatic agent comprising an organic quaternary ammonium compound in an amount sufiicient to impart anti-static properties to said oil base composition, and 0.5 to 25 by weight of an ethylene oxide adduct of a hydrocarbon-propylene diamine having the general formula:

wherein R is a hydrocarbon radical selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having 8 to 18 carbon atoms and mixtures of the same and x is a number from 1 to 3.

6. A composition as defined in claim 5 wherein said hydrocarbon radical is derived from the corresponding tallow fatty acids and contains a mixture of hydrocarbon radicals containing 14 to 18 carbon atoms.

7. A composition as defined in claim 5 wherein said hydrocarbon radical is derived from the corresponding to said oil base composition, and 0.5 to 25% of a subwherein R is .a hydrocarbon radical selected from the group consisting of lauryl, tridecyl myristyl, pentadecyl,

palmityl, margaryl, stearyl, cetyl, oleyl, and mixtures of the same, x varying in each oxyethylene radical from p 1 to 3 independently of the other oxyethylene radicals,

and y varying from 2 to 4.

9. A method of treating cellulose acetate textile fibers comprising applying to said textile fibers a substantially anhydrous composition comprising a refined mineral oil containing 0.2 to 25 of an ethylene oxide adduct of a hydrocarbou-alkylene diamine, the alkylene component of which having a carbon chain length of from 2 to 4, said hydrocarbon radical being selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having 8 to 18 carbon atoms and mixtures of the same and the degree of polymerization of the ethylene oxide in each oxyethylene radical varying from 1 to 3.

10. A method of treating cellulose acetate textile fibers comprising applying to said textile fibers, in a substantially anhydrous state, a substantially anhydrous composition comprisnig a white mineral oil containing a normally water-soluble oil-insoluble antistatic agent comprising an organic quaternary ammonium compound in an amount sufiicient to impart anti-static properties to said oil base composition and from 0.5 to 25% of an ethylene oxide adduct of a hydrocarbon-propylene diamine wherein said hydrocarbon radical is selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having 8 to 18 carbon atoms, a mixture of aliphatic hydrocarbon radicals having 8-18 carbon atoms and a mixture of aliphatic hydrocarbon radicals having 14 to 18 carbon atoms and is connected to one nitrogen atom, and wherein ethylene oxide radicals varying in their degree of polymerization from 1 to 3 are attached to each nitrogen atom.

11. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein said aliphatic hydrocarbon radical is selected from the group consisting of lauryl, tridecyl, myristyl, pentadecyl, palmityl, stearyl, cetyl and oleyl radicals and mixtures of the same. 7

12. A method as defined in claim 10 wherein said aliphatic hydrocarbon radical is derived from the fatty components of coconut oil and contains a-mixture of aliphatic hydrocarbon radicals containing 8 to 18 carbons.

13. A method as defined in claim 10 wherein said aliphatic hydrocarbon radical is derived from the fatty components of tallow and contains a mixture of aliphatic hydrocarbon radicals containing 14 to 18 carbon atoms.

14. An-article comprising cellulose acetate textile fibers which are non-corrosive with respect to metals, said fibers carrying thereon a substantially anhydrous composition comprising a white mineral oil having dissolved therein 0.5 to 25 percent of an ethylene oxide adduct of a hydrocarbon alkylene diamine of which the alkylene component has a carbon chain length of from 2 to 4, said hydrocarbon radical being selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic hydrocarbon radical having 8 to 18 carbon atoms and mixtures of the same, said hydrocarbon radical being attached to one of the nitrogen atoms, and oxyethylene radicals are attached to each nitrogen atom of said diamine, each of said radicals comprising at least one oxyethylene group.

. 15. An article as defined in claim 14 characterized in 

1. A SUBSTANTIALLY ANHYDROUS NONCORROSIVE MINERAL OIL BASE FINISH COMPOSITION FOR LUBRICATING CELLULOSE ACETATE TEXTILE FIBERS CONTAINING AT LEAST 0.5 PERCENT OF AN ETHYLENE OXIDE ADDUCT OF A HYDROCARBON ALKYLENE DIAMINE OF WHICH THE ALKYLENE COMPONENT HAS A CARBON CHAIN LENGTH OF FROM 2 TO 4, SAID HYDROCARBON RADICAL BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF AN ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBON RADICAL HAVING 8 TO 18 CARBON ATOMS AND MIXTURES OF THE SAME, SAID HYDROCARBON RADICAL BEING ATTACHED TO ONE OF THE NITROGEN ATOMS, AND OXYETHYLENE RADICALS ARE ATTACHED TO EACH NITROGEN ATOM, EACH OF SAID OXYETHYLENE RADICALS COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE OXYETHYLENE GROUP. 